Other Than You
by Zoop Top
Summary: Science has never been the strongest subject for Xion. But even after pouring her brain out throughout junior year, her father still sees her as nothing but a disappointment. Her friends and teacher try to assure her she's done her best, but Xion feels she'll never be satisfied unless she were to become the puppet her father would have wanted. [A bit of a high school AU]
1. Chapter 1

Faint ticking from the nearby wall clock echoed through the halls. It had been almost an hour after all the people cleared the academy building. School activity immediately became dormant ever since finals had been out of the way and many of the students celebrated after the excruciating tests either running around the streets like wild animals or burning their old assignments in the flame, praising the school year was finally over. The only thing they had left to worry about was coming back to the next school year cycle after a month of vacation.

But while the school year was technically over, there had been two students littering around the classrooms and hallways, one of the two apparently power walking to a certain classroom.

"Xion, don't you think this is a little unnecessary?" the girl's blonde friend asked.

"I need to know what I got for this term. I've been working my butt off trying to finish off with those perfect scores. It's bad enough I ended up with a terrible average last semester," Xion replied. Ever since she began high school at Destiny High School, her father had been pestering her to get the best grades possible, join several clubs, and participate in every other productive activity that would create the ideal college resume and fulfill the dream of every parent out there. Her father began with him encouraging her to be the best student in the academy, but as time passed after the first experience of a C in science class back in freshman year, he grew strict, cold, and also distant with Xion. Two years later, and Xion still finds herself struggling to make her father proud of her, or at least notice the efforts she had been putting in to make him forget about the dreadful report card he once saw.

"It shouldn't really matter; I mean you've been getting a higher average than me throughout this year not to mention you've been taking most of the advanced classes. Third year has been such a nightmare, I'm surprised I made it," the blonde laughed at his last comment, but Xion kept a straight face as she approached in front of Dr. Ansem's room while he kept grading the last few tests.

"You know Roxas, you didn't have to wait for me, I'm pretty sure Axel is feeling pretty bored at the ice cream parlor," Xion added. She hated having her friend to wait for her while she felt like an anxious train wreck, but Roxas felt he wanted to be the moral support just in case Xion wouldn't be satisfied with her results for the end of the year. If she were to suffer from a "bad grade", she at least wouldn't have to suffer through it alone.

Freshman year seemed like forever ago for the two students. There seemed to be no worries and virtually no stresses both from the social and academic branch. Roxas and Xion both met Axel while he was a senior and guided them through Destiny High from avoiding bullies to clowning around teachers, and getting away with last-minute assignments. The three had become the best of friends. But after the second semester and the dreadful C in science class Xion had received, her father believed it was due to being exposed to a "bad influence", and he mainly referred to the spikey redheaded graduate. After Axel graduated, he went to the community college nearby, Traverse College, and picked up a job serving the famous sea-salt ice cream at the local ice cream parlor. Though Axel was no longer spreading the so-called bad influence on both Xion and Roxas, her father made sure to limit her hang-out sessions with him as well as her friends in general. He may as well have limited Xion to having a social life at all and have her turn into the academic robot child he would've wanted.

"I might as well wait around," Roxas replied, "besides; Axel's probably sleeping on the job again today. I keep telling him to sleep on time rather than playing video games all night." After Roxas finished, Dr. Ansem had finalized all the test scores and looked at his door to see his two, or at least one, of his favorite students.

He let out a smile as he welcomed the two to come in, "I'm pretty sure I know why you're here Xion," and he glanced back at his computer for a short moment before looking back at the raven-haired girl. "Before you start freaking out, I want you to know you've been an exceptional student in my class. It's not every day a student can break the testing curve five times in a row in AP Biology."

"Yeah…thanks a lot," Roxas muttered. Xion simply elbowed his stomach and he remained silent for the rest of the period while she exchanged her conversation with her teacher.

"You've been…hard working for the most part, Roxas," the elderly teacher added. Though Roxas had not been his most favorite student and would often get irritated every time he caught him dozing off in class, Dr. Ansem actually meant what he said about his student's work ethic.

Meanwhile, Xion remained silent, anxious for what her teacher was going to say about her finalized results for the term. She had gotten mostly A's in many of her other classes but seemed to fall short when it came to AP Biology. The course spent most of its time learning about the structure and function of the heart, and that was something Xion couldn't quite grasp in class. She came out with a few 80's and 85's from a few of the tests, but she always thought it was never good enough.

Dr. Ansem glanced back towards Xion, "I've checked your results from the final and I don't know whether you'll be satisfied…" the last part already made Xion's stomach drop. It almost made her feel everything she had worked for was for nothing. Her teacher saw her reaction and quickly continued, "…but there are worse things in life than getting a B in an advanced class, Xion."

Xion wavered a bit, not knowing what else to say. What would her father think? She already felt like a disappointment for the past two years in high school. Ending the most important year with a not-so-perfect average was sure to curl her father's disappointment into hard bitterness. Dr. Ansem, on the other hand, saw promise in Xion, despite not being up as high as she would have wanted, and he knew exactly why.

"I know how you feel though…" he began, "why don't we sit for a moment?" Roxas looked at Xion wondering whether or not he should stay for their…possible counseling session. But Xion already felt she was taking up too much of his free time.

"I'll be fine on my own, Roxas. Why don't you check up on Axel this time? I'm pretty sure he's already woken up by now," she teased.

"Alright, we'll be at the ice cream parlor until seven tonight if you're not out too late," Roxas assured her. He waved his biology teacher and his friend a goodbye and began heading out the door, to the hallway, and eventually out of the building. Although Roxas knew it'd be better off if he stayed out of Xion's deeper personal life, he still couldn't help but feel compelled to stay back at the room to hear all the details. Suddenly, he realized his friend found a reason to let go of his grasp. At that point, Roxas began walking to the ice cream parlor to talk with Axel to see what he could do about Xion's inner turmoil.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey Axel!" Roxas called. A tall spiky-haired redhead clad in a fresh white apron turned around to find his younger blond friend running up towards him.

"Hey Roxas! How's it feel to finally be out of school?" Axel handed the boy a free sea-salt ice cream out of his cart as he spoke. Ever since Axel graduated from Destiny High he roamed around to find his true calling. He took up several jobs from grueling maintenance work to storage work. It wasn't until his friend Saix, as Axel would say, "forced", him to come along during his intern days doing lab work for the Radiant Garden Institute. Saix was assigned studying the moon patterns during certain nights. He felt it was a little more interesting than the rest of the team's work on heart study. While Axel was there with Saix, he found a fascination with fire work and wanted to create the same kind of patterns and colors he saw while at the lab. Naturally, Axel snuck off without Saix looking to take a closer glimpse at the fire work. And knowing Axel, he was usually one who got into some messy situations.

One trip in the lab, spilled chemicals, and shattered beakers later, and Axel was kicked out of the Radiant Garden Institute. He would've been okay with it, seeing how he usually gets himself kicked out every now and then, if it didn't cost his friend's internship. Saix was furious with Axel and hadn't spoken to him since, or at least, for two weeks. After the incident, Axel landed a part time job as a cashier in the ice cream parlor, hoping to raise enough money to pay for the expenses he caused at the institute as well as beg them to take Saix back.

"Not much different, to be honest," Roxas replied, "I thought after all these exams Xion would finally take a break, but she's kinda glued herself back at the school with Dr. Ansem." He took a bite in his ice cream bar after he was done speaking. Axel looked at the blonde boy with a raised eyebrow then sighed.

"Sheesh, she's still at it? Shouldn't she just learn how to take a break for once? I mean it's summer! No homework, no rules, no responsibilities. Why would she want to stay in that stuffy building?" Axel asked.

"Something to do with her science grade, I guess. For some reason, that's all she seems to care about lately, and ever since she didn't get the score she wanted it's almost like it's the end of the world for her," Roxas said.

Axel leaned against the counter continuing to listen to Roxas until he replied, "Well, I don't know about you, but if I was in Xion's shoes, I think I would be pretty terrified if I had to come home with an average to one of the most stiff people on the planet."

Roxas took another bite into his ice cream and looked back up to meet Axel after hearing what he had said.

"Wait, are you talking about Xion's dad?" he asked.

Axel gave him a confused look, "Have you met the guy? I mean, you and Xion have been friends for a while, it's only natural that you've seen his face or something. The guy gives me the creeps, I feel like he'll swoop down and chop my head off or something."

Roxas rolled his eyes at his friend's comment, but thought for a moment after. He has seen Xion's dad, and he did admit he was pretty intimidating, but in reality, he's never known who or what kind of person he really was. He knew what he looked like, and from Axel's somewhat exaggerated depiction of the man, he wouldn't be surprised if Xion's father did do something like that.

"What exactly do you know about him? I mean, I've seen him before, but I've never really talked to him," Roxas didn't know whether or not Axel really knew more than him about Xion's father. It didn't really hurt to ask though.

"From what I remember, he used to be one of Dr. Ansem's students. Top in the class, or something like that. Not even top in the class, but top ranked in the school. I only heard about this awhile back, but can't remember who. It wouldn't be surprising to be honest," Axel saw the time on his watch, grabbed an ice cream from the freezer, and jumped over the counter to start his break before continuing, "from what you've told me, Xion seems to be in a really bad place right now. The guy is a huge perfectionist. Plus, he kind of hates me. The last time I bumped into him, he glared at me and called me a 'waste of space', rude guy."

Roxas thought about Xion sitting in Dr. Ansem's office and how she's probably feeling at the moment. Xion has never told him anything personal that goes on with her and her father, but judging from the way she had been acting concerning her grades in science, if not her grades in general, her relationship with her father seems pretty strained. He wondered Dr. Ansem was helping Xion feel any better. He dipped his head low to which Axel noticed.

"Hey, don't worry buddy, we'll save Xion some ice cream and we'll all hang out like no tomorrow," Axel reassured.

"I hope so. I just don't know if Xion will be up for it. She hasn't been feeling that great and I don't know if taking her out for a relaxing session is something she'd be willing to do," Roxas replied.

"Then we'll make her!" Axel cheerfully said, though he knew the situation and didn't feel as if it was the right moment to be enthusiastic. Axel was always like that with Roxas and Xion. Despite breaking rules and getting the two in all sorts of trouble, he never wanted them to deviate from what was important. He never tried as much back when he did go to Destiny High, but he sure didn't want his carefree attitude to rub so much off his two hardworking friends. But even with his intentions, Xion's father still had a large disdain towards his mannerisms and attitude towards schoolwork and made sure Xion wouldn't spend any time with him in order to maintain her own work ethic. Her father was never the type to trust others so easily.

"I guess…" Roxas thought in his mind maybe a short relaxation period wouldn't hurt. Plus, it was summer vacation already. There wasn't really much else Xion could do. The best he and Axel could give her is some good hang out time to forget about the work that has been stressing her out. Hopefully, her father wouldn't be too against her spending some down time after a stressful year. That is, if he doesn't know about Xion's science grade.

* * *

 **A/N: sHIIITTTTT** so idk if anyone follows this story lol but it's been awhile since my last update and this idea was something that came to me on a whim since I haven't written KH fanfics in so long so here's to me getting back to doing so xD

The story for this fic was basically that I wanted to find a story where there was a focus between Xion and Xemnas/Xehanort's characters since I thought that would be an interesting dynamic to explore. Plus, I kinda see Xemnas as sort of this "neglecting/abusive" father-figure to Xion. Who knows where I'll take this lol, it's been such a long time since I was in the KH fandom. I think one of my other KH fics was deleted...but oh well, that one kinda sucked anyway xD

So, to anyone new. Um...hi! :D


End file.
